Spring supported gimbal supported mine cars



Dec. 17, 1968 F E 3,416,463

SPRING SUPPORTED GIMBAL SUPPORTED MINE CARS a Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1965 NN .GN w 4%? 4 7/4 IN VE/V TOR HENRY FORT FLOWERS BY ywfi, W2 W N1 3 m m m j ATTORNEYS 17, 1968 r H. F. FLOWERS 3,416,46

SPRING SUPPORTED GIMBAL SUPPORTED MINE CARS med Aug. 27'. 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet z O D N N m N) m r m a m m N H i\\\ N m X N N l0 N O N t m N b g 9' r0 r0 INVENTOR HENRY FORT FLOWERS AZ W, My 8% ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 F. FLQWERS 3,416,463

SPRING SUPPORTED GIMBAL SUPPORTED MINE CARS Filed Aug. 27. 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 HHHH II" INVENTOR HENRY 1 PORT FLOWERS ATTORNEYS 35 gammy United States Patent 3,416,463 SPRING SUPPORTED GIMBAL SUPPORTED MINE CARS Henry Fort Flowers, 3023 Del Monte Drive, Houston, Tex. 77019 Filed Aug. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 483,106 21 Claims. (Cl. 105-179) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A railway car is provided, having gimbal mounts for wheels, each of the gimbal mounts utilizing a hollow king post rotatable in a tubular member. A pair of generally concentric compression springs are provided within the hollow king posts, the king post being telescopically movable relative to the tubular member. The springs are mounted on an anti-friction bearing assembly disposed Within the tubular member, at one end, whereby, during use of the railway car, and consequent compression of the springs, the tendency for ends of the springs to rotate relative to one another, during their compression is transmitted into rotation of one race of the anti-friction bearing relative to another race of the anti-friction bearing, and precludes the transmission of forces resulting from spring compression to associated wheels, whereby undesirable wear on wheel flanges is avoided. The king posts are tapered at upper ends, to facilitate a knocking-out of the posts, as desired.

The invention relates generally to vehicles, principally railway rolling stock, and more particularly to mine cars wherein the bodies designed to carry coal, rock or other lading are supported on axleless tandem wheel trucks, said bodies having depending king posts telescoped into gimbal devices so that the bodies can move up and down on compression spring supports in the gimbal devices and the trucks are free to turn about the king posts and also to rock in upright planes while travelling over the frequently uneven rails and being guided by wheel flange engagement with said rails.

In presently known structures the compression spring means bottom directly on the gimbal means or on abutment plates mounted therein, and during each compression of a spring by load imposition thereon the nature of coiling of the spring results in a turning movement at the lower spring end extremity which is imparted directly or indirectly to the gimbal member, causing the particular truck to tend to turn about the particular king post and force wheel flange portions hard against the rails over which the wheels are travelling. This lateral pressure of wheel flanges against the rails adds materially to the wearing contact of flanges against rails incidental to normal travel and the rounding of curves, and exaggerated and unnecessary wearing of wheel flanges results. It is a purpose of the present invention to provide certain new and useful improvements in gimbal spring mountings which will minimize or eliminate the unnecessary wearing of truck wheel flanges. An example disclosure of known structures of the type stated will be found in my prior U.S. Letters Patent 2,699,733, issued Jan. 18, 1955.

An object of the invention is to provide in gimbal devices of the character stated, novel anti-friction bearing means supporting the coil spring means at the lower end extremities thereof and effective to provide for free turning of said spring end portions without imparting the turning movement to the gimbal and truck, thereby to avoid lateral pressing of wheel flanges against the rails over which the truck is travelling as a result of rotational movement of the spring end portions.

Another object of the invention is to provide in gimbal devices of the character stated anti-friction bearing means Patented Dec. 17, 1968 including a lower race ring supported in the gimbal, an upper race ring to which supported load is transmitted through the coil spring means, and anti-friction bearing elements interposed between the race rings.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in gimbal devices of the character stated a relatively light coil spring and a surrounding relatively heavy and shorter coil spring both supported at their lower end extremities on the anti-friction bearing means, the light coil spring being effective to support the load of an empty or only partially loaded car, and the shorter and heavy coil spring being effective in cooperation with and after predetermined compression of the light coil spring to support the load imposed by the car when heavily loaded.

A further object of the invention is to provide in gimbal devices of the character stated, means on the anti-friction bearing and engaged by the lower end extremity of the light coil spring to support and center said spring end extremity.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide in gimbal devices of the character stated anti-friction bearing means including a support member having a generally horizontal floor portion for supporting the lower end extremity of the light coil spring, an upstanding wall within the bearing races and serving as a centering means for said coil spring, and an outwardly directed flange overlying the upper race and disposed to support the lower end extremity of the heavy coil spring.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combination of gimbal devices, coil springs and anti-fric tion bearing means of the character stated wherein are included means for limiting telescoping of the king post into the gimbal at a predetermined point preceding complete compression or bottoming of the spring coils, thereby to relieve shock imposition upon the anti-friction bearing means and also minimize coil spring breakage.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view illustrating the invention, portions of the vehicle body and the axleless truck, a condition of the parts being illustrated in relative positions they assume when the body of the vehicle is being lifted, as when the wheels are being placed on the track.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 22 on FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are views similar to FIGURE 2 illustrating respectively a positioning of the parts in an empty vehicle, a loaded vehicle, and in a bump position with the spring coils not completely closed or bottomed.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation illustrating a vehicle embodying the invention.

In the herein disclosed and preferred example embodiment of the invention, the novel structure is illustrated as applied to a vehicle including a floor 5 and which may take the form of the disclosure in my prior patent 2,699,733 previously referred to herein, it being understood, of course, that the invention may be applied to other forms of vehicles and bodies. The body floor has transversely disposed channel beams 6 welded or otherwise secured thereon, said beams including upstanding flange portions 7.

At the position of each gimbal means a dust guard or sleeve 8 is secured at 9 to the car floor and the respective beam 6 to carry a depending king post 10, the latter being secured by a tapered end fit at 11 in the dust guard sleeve 8 as shown. The upper end of the post 10 is closed by a plug ring 12 which may be secured therein in any approved manner, and the plug is equipped with a removable center closure 14. The underface of the plug ring 13 also is equipped with an annular groove 15, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. The guard sleeve 8 also is annularly recessed as at 16, and the purpose of this recessing also will be described hereinafter.

Each depending king post is telescoped into a gimbal sleeve 17 so that the gimbal sleeve is turnable on the post and the post can move up and down in its telescoped mounting. The gimbal sleeve 17 carries a bottom plate 18 which may be an integral part of the sleeve or secured thereto in any approved manner, and the sleeve also has parallel side members 19 secured thereon in any approved manner, as by welding. The side members 19 secured to the gimbal sleeve 17 engage between parallel side members 20 of the particular car supporting axleless truck, as clearly illustrated in FIGURE 1, said truck side members having an arcuate bottom plate 21 aflixed thereto in the position clearly illustrated in FIGURES l and 2,

and to parallel side plates 22 secured between said truck side members, in any approved manner, as by welding. The well known tandem wheel arrangement of the truck is indicated at 23 in FIGURE 1, and the truck wheels are disposed to engage the trackage rail means 24, as indicated.

It will be apparent by reference to FIGURE 1 that rod connectors 25 connect between the respective beam 6 and retainer plates 26 which are welded or otherwise secured to the parallel side members 20 of the respective truck.

It will be apparent by reference to the figures of the drawings that a novel anti-friction bearing means is disposed between the load supporting coil spring means and the underlying portion of the gimbal means, namely the bottom plate 18 of the gimbal sleeve 17. The anti-friction bearing means comprises a lower race ring 27 supported on said bottom plate 18, an upper race ring 28 and anti-friction bearing elements 29 mounted between said upper and lower race rings. A support means generally designated 30 is mounted in each gimbal means as a portion of the antifriction bearing means and comprises a bottom ring 31, an upstanding wall 32- disposed within the race rings 27 and 28, and an outwardly turned flange 33 resting upon the upper seal ring 28.

It will be apparent by reference to the figures of the drawings that a relatively light and long coil spring 34 is disposed within the king post and gimbal means with its lower end extremity resting on the generally horizontal floor 31 of the support means 20 and centered within the upstanding wall 32 of the supporting ring. The upper end extremity of the coil spring 34 engages in the annular groove 15 provided in the king post plug ring 12. A relatively heavy and shorter coil spring surrounds the relatively light and longer coil spring 34 and rests at its bottom end extremity on the outwardly turned flange 33 of the supporting ring 31 of the anti-friction bearing means.

In vehicles such as mine cars or other lading carriers equipped with gimbal means and axleless supporting trucks, the king posts move up and down in the gimbal mountings and the supporting trucks are turnable about the king posts and subject to rocking in vertical planes as the vehicle travels over the rails 24 as indicated in FIG- URE 1, the load of the vehicle body and its lading being supported upon the cooperating light and heavy coil spring devices 34 and 35.

In previously known equipments of this type, considerable wheel flange wear has been experienced, by reason of the coil spring attempting to twist or rotationally shift the bottom plate which in said prior known structures has rested on the inside bottom of the gimbal. As these coil springs flex, or in other words are compressed and then expand, they tend to rotate the gimbal slightly due to the coiling of the springs and the engagement of the springs at their ends with parts fixed against free rotation. Also, when the wheeled trucks travel around curves, the spring seats on the gimbals tend to turn with the trucks as they are guided by the wheel flange contacts against the rails. Previously known plain bearings between spring and gimbal means also tended to make the wheel flanges hug the rails even when the trucks were travelling along straight tracks. In order to prevent this objectionable or excessive wearing of wheel flanges the herein disclosed invention involving the provision of the described anti-friction bearing means has been developed.

In the improved gimbal structure herein described, the trucks are free to turn about their respective king posts 10 in following cu-rves or non-straight portions of the rails 24 as in previously known structures. However, the anti-friction bearing means 27, 28, 29, 30 permits the normal flexing of the coil springs during load supporting compression in travel, and the telescoping of the kingposts 10 in the respective gimbal sleeves 17, 18 as in prior known structures, while assuring that the turning of the lower end extremities of the coil springs 34 and 35 is not transmitted to the gimbal bottom plate 18 in a manner for turning the trucks and their wheel flanges hard against the rails, the upper race ring 28 and the supporting bottom ring 31 of the anti-friction bearing means being permitted to move freely with the turning lower end extremities of the coil springs, without any effective tendency of imparting their turning movement to the gimbal means bottom plate 18.

This improvement tends to prevent or greatly reduce derailments, as well as serving to minimize excessive wearing of wheel flanges.

The previously mentioned annular recess 16 of the dust guard or sleeve 8 serves to provide a limiting shoulder 36 which is engageable with the upper end extremity of the gimbal sleeve 17 as will be apparent by reference to FIGURES 2 and 5, and these parts are 50 related that the stop shoulder limits downward telescoping of the king post just prior to bottoming of the coils of the load supporting springs 34 and 35. By thus preventing the spring coils from going solid, breakage of the coil springs is greatly reduced and the anti-friction devices 27, 28, 29, 30 are relieved of damaging shocks. This relief of damaging shocks is particularly desirable when the vehicle bodies are heavily loaded. The long travel or relatively light coil springs 34 are effective in carrying the weight of empty vehicle bodies or vehicle carrying little load without the weight of the body coming down on the relatively heavy coil 35. As is well known, when the bodies are loaded, the heavier springs 35 will come into function in supporting the load, as in FIGURE 4.

It is to be understood that in the securing of the king post 10 to the dust guard sleeve 8 by a taper fit the angle of the taper is selected so as to assure practical friction retention of the assembly in service, while the king post can be knocked or pressed out with little difficulty and replaced, when repair is necessary. The angle of the king post taper also is chosen such that the cus-' tomary lubricant can be used on the fitted parts to prevent seizing and galling of the mated tapered surfaces.

In FIGURE 6 the invention is shown embodied in a particular form of vehicle mine car but it is to be understood that embodiment in other forms of mine cars or vehicles is contemplated within the scope of the invention.

While preferred part arrangements, including king posts and gimbal structures, are disclosed herein, it is to be understood that variations in such part arrangements, and in the particular form of anti-friction bearing means may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle, body means for transporting lading, tandem wheel truck means, a gimbal means on which each truck is mounted, king post means depending from the body means and telescoped in the gimbal means, load supporting uprightly disposed coil spring means interposed between the king post means and the gimbal means, the truck means being disposed to turn about the king post means and rock in upright planes while travelling over supporting trackage, and anti-friction bearing means interposed between" the lower extremity of the coil spring means and the gimbal means and comprising means for permitting said lower end extremity to partake of turning movement incidental to compression loading of th spring means without imparting said turning movement to the gimbal means :and the associated truck means.

2. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the anti-friction bearing means includes a lower race ring supported in the gimbal means, an upper race ring to which supported load is transmitted through the coil spring means, and anti-friction bearing elements interposed between said race rings, there also being included a support member having a generally horizontal floor portion for supporting the spring means at least in part, an upstanding wall within the bearing race rings and serving as a centering means for a portion of the spring means, and an outwardly directed flange overlying the upper race ringand disposed to direct the spring load onto the anti-friction bearing means upper race ring.

3. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the anti-friction bearing means includes a lower race ring supported in the gimbal means, an upper race ring to which supported load is transmitted through the coil spring means, and anti-friction bearing elements interposed between said race rings.

4. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 3 wherein there also are included means limiting telescoping of the king post means into the gimbal means at a predetermined point preceding complete compression or bottoming of the coil spring means, thereby to relieve shock imposition upon the anti-friction bearing means and also minimize coil spring breakage.

5. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the means for limiting telescoping of the king post into the gimbal means comprises a dust guard surrounding the king post and a gimbal sleeve forming a part of the gimbal means and engageable by a stop shoulder on the dust guard.

6. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the load supporting coil spring means comprises a relatively light coil spring surrounded by a relatively heavy and shorter coil spring both springs being supported at their lower end extremities on the anti-friction bearing means, the light coil spring being effective to support the load of an empty or only partially loaded body, and the shorter and heavy coil spring being efiective in cooperation with and after predetermined compression of the light coil spring to supportthe load imposed by the body when heavily loaded.

7. Vehicle structure :as defined in claim 6 wherein there is included means on the anti-friction bearing means and engaged by the lower end extremity of the light coil spring to support and center said light coil spring end extremity.

8. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 6 wherein the anti-friction bearing means includes a support member having a generally horizontal floor portion for supporting the lower end extremity of the light coil spring, an upstanding wall within the bearing race rings and serving as a centering means for the light coil spring, and an outwardly directed flange overlying the upper race ring and disposed to support the lower end extremity of the heavy coil spring.

9. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 6 wherein there also are included means limiting telescoping of the king post means into the gimbal means at a predetermined point preceding complete compression or bottoming of the spring coils, thereby to relieve shock imposition upon the anti-friction bearing means and also minimize coil spring breakage.

10. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 9 wherein the means for limiting telescoping of the king post into the gimbal means comprises a dust guard surrounding the king post and a gimbal sleeve forming a part of the gimbal means and engageable by a stop shoulder on the dust guard.

11. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 9 wherein the king post includes abutment means therein overlying and engaged by the coil spring means and has a tapered knockout mounting on the body means.

12. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the king post includes abutment means therein overlying and engaged by the coil spring means and has a tapered knockout mounting on the body means.

13. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 12 wherein there also are included means limiting telescoping of the king post means into the gimbal means at a predetermied point preceding complete compression or bottoming of the spring coils, thereby to relieve shock imposition upon the anti-friction bearing means and :also minimize coil spring breakage, the means for limiting telescoping of the king post into the gimbal means comprises a dust guard surrounding the king post and a gimbal sleeve forming a part of the gimbal means and engageable by a stop shoulder on the dust guard, the taper mounting of the king post being provided in the dust guard.

14. In a vehicle construction, body means for transporting lading, tandem wheel truck means, dust guard sleeve means depending from the body means, king post means having a tapered knockout mounting on the dust guard sleeve means, gimbal means on which each truck is mounted and in which the king post is telescoped, and load supporting spring means interposed between abutment means on the king post and said gimbal means, the truck means being disposed to turn about the king post means and rock in upright planes while travelling over supporting trackage.

15. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 14 wherein there also are included means limiting telescoping of the king post means into the gimbal means at a predetermined point preceding complete compression or bottoming of the spring coils.

16. Vehicle structure as defined in claim 14 wherein there also are included means limiting telescoping of the king post means into the gimbal means at a predetermined point preceding complete compression or bottoming of the spring coils, and the means for limiting telescoping of the king post into the gimbal means comprises the dust guard sleeve means and a gimbal sleeve forming a part of the gimbal means and engageable by a stop shoulder on the dust guard sleeve.

17. An anti-friction thrust bearing for use in vehicle gimbal structures between an underlying gimbal part and overlying load supporting spring means, said bearing comprising a lower race ring mountable on a gimbal part, an upper race ring mountable under a load supporting spring means, anti-friction bearing elements interposed between said race rings, and a support member having a floor portion disposed within the rings, an upstanding wall rising from the floor within said ring, and an outwardly directed flange overlying the upper race ring.

18. An anti-friction hearing as defined in claim 17 wherein the support member is formed of sheet metal.

19. A vehicle support structure comprising an annular member secured to a vehicle and having an upper inner tapered surface, a king post concentric with and in frictional engagement with said annular member, said king post having an upper peripheral tapered surface in mating relationship with said tapered surface of said annular member, a gimbal sleeve telescoped over said king post, and resilient means disposed within said king post and said gimbal sleeve as to permit relative movement therebetween.

20. The vehicle support structure of claim 19, including a plug ring positioned within the upper surface of said king post and means positioned on said plug ring to p rmit lubrication of said resilient means.

21. A knock-out structure for vehicles Which com'- prises a king post socket secured to a base, said king post socket having an upper inner tapered surface and a king post frictionally positioned within said king post socket and having an upper peripheral tapered surface in mating relationship With said tapered surface of said king post socket.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 587,060 7/1897 Noraconk 105 -179 X 999,192 7/1911 Kellogg 105179 2,078,915 4/1937 Flowers 105-179 2,699,733 1/1955 Flowers 105-199 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Prim ary Examiner. m H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner. I

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

